– Three kroner is a lot for a bag. The price of groceries has also risen like that. Everything is getting more expensive, says Kristi Ravndal. news meets her on a shopping trip at Rema 1000 in Dusavik in Stavanger. In the shopping cart, she has placed the goods in two shopping nets she brought with her. She almost always uses them. BRINGING: Kristi Ravndal prefers to bring her own shopping net. Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news – It is mostly because of the environment. The plastic bags accumulate like that. Then they quickly end up in the rubbish, says Ravndal. The sale of bags is falling In recent months, more people have started to choose reuse on their shopping trip. On 1 January, the price of a plastic carrier bag rose to three kroner in most shops. news has been in contact with the major grocery chains. None of them will say how many bags they sell, but they all report that sales have decreased since the price increase. Figures from the grocery industry Coop: – So far this year, the consumption of plastic bags has decreased by well over 11 per cent, compared to last year, says communications advisor Knut Lutnæs. Rema 1000: – We see that there has been a decrease in the use of plastic bags of nine percent since the price increased, says spokesperson Hege Rognlien. The Norwegian group (Kiwi, Meny, Spar, Joker and Nærbutikken): – The decrease so far this year has been around five per cent, says communications manager Ingrid Solberg Gundersen. – We see that shopping habits have changed a good deal. People use the plastic bag several times. In addition, far more use shopping networks, says Knut Lutnæs, communications advisor at Coop. He adds that Coop has increased sales of shopping nets by close to 40 per cent this year. HAPPY: Knut Lutnæs in Coop says they have a plan to reduce the sale of plastic bags even more. Photo: John Andreassen Willing to halve plastic consumption It is a common goal in the trade industry to reduce the sale of plastic bags. 80 percent of Norwegian shops and chains are members of Handelens Miljøfond. The shops pay one kroner in contribution to the fund for each plastic bag they sell. The money goes to environmental measures related to plastic. – We doubled the quota in the new year. In addition, we have had campaigns to get more people to stop buying new plastic bags, says general manager of Handelens Miljøfond, Cecilie Lind. – Now we see that this is starting to produce results. People have noticed that the bags have become more expensive. It is very good, she adds. Handelens Miljøfond’s aim is to halve the sale of plastic carrier bags in the period 2016 to 2025. As of New Year, the decrease was just under 20 per cent. – We already know now that the decline will continue this year, so we are on the way to the target. FORGOTTEN: Arnvid Tveit usually has a shopping net with him at the store. – Now I came straight from the city, so I forgot about it, he says. Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news It could be even more expensive – Do you think it is possible to manage it by 2025? – Yes, I think we will be able to do that. But it will probably not be that easy, so we need many more measures. We have to help people remember to bring a bag from home, says Lind. – Can the price of the bags be even higher? – It is something we are considering, together with our members. Price is one tool. In addition, we have several other measures that we are considering. Changing habits In the store, it is clear that the price increase has had an effect. Kristin Lone is one of many who has her own shopping network. – Plastic bags have become terribly expensive. This means that I prefer to bring my own bag. In that sense, it is positive that they have raised the price, she says. But then it is not always so easy to remember to bring a bag from home. Gunn Sissel Rosenvold had to pay for four bags. – It’s not right. I should have brought shopping nets, but they are left at home. So I’d rather put them in the car, she says. RIGHT IN THE BAG: Kristin Lone hangs the shopping net on the pram. – It’s practical and fine, she says. Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news
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More people drop the plastic bag after price jump – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
